CHANGES7speakout Pre-Intermediate

UNIT 7

page 1© Pearson Education Limited 2011

OverviewWatch the video podcast. What do you have in common with the speakers?

1 Watch the video podcast from 0:11-0:19. Why does Hina feel good about life at the moment? Watch the podcast two or three times if necessary.

2 Look at the people below and read the things they say. Then watch the podcast from 0:19-3:17 and match the people to sentences 1-6.

1 My life has changed quite a bit in the last two years. D

2 I enjoy living in the UK, and I’ve been over here for about nine years – so I do enjoy my life.

3 And then personal life…got married, I had my first child, bought my first property.

4 I’ve got two lovely children, a great husband and I just finished paying for my house.

5 Ten years ago I was a student and so I used to get up late, and I used to have lots of time. And now I have to go to work.

6 I’d like to go on more holidays.

Glossary: property = house/flat

3 How do they feel about their lives at the moment? Watch the video podcast from 0:19-1:19. Is anybody not happy with their life?

4 Look at the people below and read their answers. Then watch the podcast again from 0:19-1:19 and underline the words in italics that you hear.

1 I have a fabulous / fantastic partner, four beautiful children, a great job – and I live in London.2 I have a job that I really enjoy and I’ve just bought / moved into a flat.3 I have / am just about to go on holiday so I am, yeah, looking forward to that.4 I’m happy with where / who I am, yeah. I’ve just graduated for two weeks.5 My husband / life is great.6 Started a new job / family as well. I bought a house. Things like that, you know.

Glossary: fabulous = very good/great; about to (go) = am (going) soon; as well = also

C D E F

A C D E FB

BA

CHANGES7speakout Pre-Intermediate

UNIT 7

page 2© Pearson Education Limited 2011 CHANGES page

5 Look at the people below and read the sentences about them. Then watch the video podcast from 1:20-3:18 and tick (✓) the correct sentence for each person, a or b.

1a) She’d like to travel a lot more. 4a) She’s recently stopped work.1b) She’d like to travel a bit more. ✓ 4b) She’s recently started work again.2a) She really wants to get into graphic design. 5a) She’s moved to a different part of London.2b) She wants to change her job. 5b) She’s moved to London.3a) He’d like more children. 6a) She sees her friends more now.3b) His wife’s recently had a baby. 6b) She doesn’t see her friends so much now.

6 How have their lives changed in the last few years? Watch the video podcast from 1:50-3:18 and match five people from Ex 5 to the questions below.

1 Who’s moved to the United Kingdom? A

2 Who had a five-year break from work?

3 Who does a lot of family things?

4 Who has a daughter now?

5 Who’s living in a new area?

The way we speak7 Look at the people below and read what they say about their lives. Then watch the video podcast from 0:19-3:18 and complete phrases 1-6 with words a-f in the box.

a) circle b) full-time c) get d) on e) career f ) afford

I’m enjoying my life at the moment because I have a good 1circle of friends.

I’d like to 2be able to _________ to join a gym so that I could 3____________ fitter.

Specifically in that I had a five-year break from work, 4put my career __________ hold and returned back to 5__________ employment.

Yeah, I’ve changed in every possible way really. 6__________-wise, I made a big decision of changing my career, coming to HSBC.

A C D E FB

CHANGES7speakout Pre-Intermediate

UNIT 7

page 3© Pearson Education Limited 2011

Vocabulary

8 Match definitions a-f to phrases 1-6 in Ex 7.

a) group of friends 1

b) stopped working

c) talking about my career

d) get healthier and stronger

e) work for eight hours a day, five days a week

f ) have enough money

Personalisation

9 How do you feel about your life? Write sentences using the prompts below.

1 At the moment, my life is____________________________________________.

2 I’d like to ________________________________________________________.

3 In the last few years, _______________________________________________.

If you want to be happy, go and live in the Pacific. Vanuatu is the happiest place on earth, according to a survey. To find out more, go to the BBC link here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5172254.stm

Fun FACtS